On September 9, 2025, during a U.S. House Oversight subcommittee hearing on UAP transparency and whistleblower protection, Representative Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) unveiled stunning video evidence captured by an MQ-9 Reaper drone operating off the coast of Yemen.
The footage shows the drone tracking a glowing spherical aerial object. At one point, another MQ-9 drone launches an AGM-114 Hellfire missile at the orb. The missile strikes the object directly—but instead of destroying it, the round appears to bounce off and the orb continues moving unharmed.
Journalist George Knapp, who presented the footage during the hearing, described it simply: "That's a Hellfire missile smacking into that UFO and it just bounced right off, and it kept going."
The hearing featured testimony from multiple witnesses including U.S. Air Force Veteran Jeffrey Nuccetelli, U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Alexandro Wiggins, and U.S. Air Force Veteran Dylan Borland. When asked by Representative Anna Paulina Luna whether they were aware of anything in the U.S. arsenal that could split a Hellfire missile and continue moving, both Nuccetelli and Wiggins testified that no such technology exists.
The video was presented during a congressional hearing rather than through official military channels, reflecting the ongoing tension between the Defense Department and Congress over UAP transparency. The footage was captured by an MQ-9 Reaper drone, which is equipped with the Multi-Spectral Targeting System—a sophisticated electro-optical and infrared sensor suite.
Witnesses at the hearing testified that the object displayed characteristics inconsistent with any known U.S. or foreign technology. The AGM-114 Hellfire is a precision-guided air-to-surface missile capable of destroying armored vehicles and structures; its failure to affect the orb suggests the object possesses material properties or defensive capabilities beyond current human engineering.
Journalist George Knapp stated during the hearing that there are "servers where there's a whole bank of these kind of videos that Congress has not been allowed to see," suggesting this may be one of multiple similar encounters that have not been publicly disclosed.
No official determination has been issued by the Department of Defense or AARO regarding this specific incident. The video was released through congressional channels during a public hearing focused on UAP transparency, not through official military investigation.
The incident represents what may be the most dramatic visual evidence yet presented to Congress of a UAP displaying apparent immunity to U.S. military weaponry. The Hellfire missile, a weapon designed to destroy tanks and hardened targets, making contact with the orb and simply bouncing off with no apparent damage to the target raises fundamental questions about the nature and origin of these objects.
Testimony from former military personnel established that no known U.S. technology possesses the capability to withstand a Hellfire strike, adding weight to the conclusion that this object operates using principles or materials outside the realm of publicly acknowledged human technology.
- Q.01What material or defensive mechanism allowed the orb to withstand a Hellfire missile strike? The AGM-114 is designed to penetrate armor and destroy targets on impact. The apparent bounce-off suggests either an extremely hard surface, an energy shield, or some other defensive mechanism that completely negated the missile's explosive payload.
- Q.02How many similar incidents exist in classified government files? Knapp's testimony suggests there is a "whole bank" of similar videos that Congress has not been allowed to access. What is the full scope of UAP-missile interaction incidents that remain classified?
- Q.03What was the origin and intent of the orb? Was it observing U.S. military operations, engaged in intelligence gathering, or operating autonomously? The fact that it was detected by an MQ-9 in Yemeni airspace suggests it may have been monitoring activity in a active conflict zone.
- Q.04Was the missile's guidance system affected in any way? The apparent bounce could result from either the object's physical properties or from electronic warfare interference with the missile's guidance system causing it to malfunction.
- Q.05What do other similar UAP videos in government possession show? If this incident is one of many, what patterns emerge from the full dataset of UAP-military interactions that Congress has not been permitted to review?